# How does Customs know?



## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

I'm not really looking for inside information on the training of agents or anything. I'm just curious about the hypothetical situation of a Customs agent looking at a box of cigars. Maybe it's La Gloria Cubana...NC. It says Cubana on it. Will they think it's Cuban? I began pondering this question after a BOTL posted a pic of a Kristoff on the NC What Are You Smoking thread. The band says "Elite Cuban Taste." There are many NC brands that are putting Habano or Cuba on their labels. Do you think if an agent saw these they would be confiscated? Inquiring minds need to know. :ask:


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## maverickmage (Feb 10, 2008)

They probably x-ray a random sampling and open any boxes that looks like cigars.


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

maverickmage said:


> They probably x-ray a random sampling and open any boxes that looks like cigars.


But let's say they see this:









It says Habano. Do they confiscate or are they in the know regarding all actual CC brands, levels, etc.?


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## thebigk (Jan 16, 2013)

Tax stamp or habanos seal


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## JustTroItIn (Jan 12, 2014)

The one box I have purchased so far came with a packing slip marked "25 cigars" in sloppy handwriting. They probably inspect at random.


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## egoo33 (Jul 21, 2013)

thebigk said:


> Tax stamp or habanos seal


That's what I was thinking


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## thebigk (Jan 16, 2013)

egoo33 said:


> That's what I was thinking


 Yea I don't think NC's come with the Cuba stamp on it


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## brimy623 (May 25, 2013)

thebigk said:


> Tax stamp or habanos seal


Plus, they know the "forbidden fruit".
Probably better then the connoisseurs of the fine leaf!


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## egoo33 (Jul 21, 2013)

thebigk said:


> Yea I don't think NC's come with the Cuba stamp on it


Yeah even if customs isn't familiar with the name Habanos I think the Warranty Seal would be a dead give away


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

The stamp and seal make sense. So one would think individual cigar labels may not be as much of an issue. Perhaps Customs know of more major brands of CC, but surely not all bands. Singles of obscure maracas may look less suspicious? I guess they are mostly after box+ quantities anyways.


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

Laynard said:


> But let's say they see this:
> 
> View attachment 50281
> 
> ...


I'm not seeing the pic, but we all know that doesn't mean it's not there...if you can't see it either, it's a Perdomo Habano.


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## Drez_ (Jan 30, 2014)

I would think like any individual company, there are people trained in more specific areas that customs must identify. Perhaps if during random checks are found, one of these more specialized agents is called in to check the legality of the shipment.


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

brimy623 said:


> Plus, they know the "forbidden fruit".
> Probably better then the connoisseurs of the fine leaf!


Call me a nay-sayer, but I have my doubts. They are looking for a lot more than just CCs. So they need to know a little about a lot. And, there has got to be a turn-around, and the new guys are probably fairly oblivious.


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

Drez_ said:


> I would think like any individual company, there are people trained in more specific areas that customs must identify. Perhaps if during random checks are found, one of these more specialized agents is called in to check the legality of the shipment.


I'd buy this one. I guess they could always hold it until the specialist, or Google tells them what they need to know. OK. I'm satisfied.


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## thebigk (Jan 16, 2013)

Laynard said:


> Call me a nay-sayer, but I have my doubts. They are looking for a lot more than just CCs. So they need to know a little about a lot. And, there has got to be a turn-around, and the new guys are probably fairly oblivious.


I'm sure they have poster boards with pics of Cuban tax/export stamps on it


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## zabhatton (Aug 1, 2011)

Isn't customs only for what enters the national borders, not state borders. And if so, they'd know the source?


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## brimy623 (May 25, 2013)

Laynard said:


> Call me a nay-sayer, but I have my doubts. They are looking for a lot more than just CCs. So they need to know a little about a lot. And, there has got to be a turn-around, and the new guys are probably fairly oblivious.


I think they know more than you give them credit for!


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## CeeGar (Feb 19, 2007)

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then


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## [email protected] (Aug 16, 2012)

Because they are psychic with telepathic powers and such


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## gtechva (Mar 9, 2014)

Top three ways they can tell

3.They smoke one at random
2.They ask the NSA what you have been up to
1.They read a thread on Puff about how to tell a fake


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

brimy623 said:


> I think they know more than you give them credit for!


Probably. I guess if you're looking at/for it all day, you learn pretty quick.



thebigk said:


> I'm sure they have poster boards with pics of Cuban tax/export stamps on it


I'd definitely believe this.


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

CeeGar said:


> Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then


Thanks for the vid!


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

A lot has to do with the port of entry and where you are coming from......
I am sure the agents near Mexico are more alert than the ones in VT.

As far as the other ways they get in.....probably better left unsaid.

Historically the big confiscations were the results of getting caught when looking for other items that had to do with national security...remember the ink cartridge bombs?


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## tmoran (Mar 25, 2014)

CeeGar said:


> Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then


:faint:


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## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

CeeGar said:


> Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then


That video made me sad.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

On a side note, the illegal steroid underground also took a big hit....all that stuff used to ship the same way


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## usafvet509 (Oct 21, 2013)

You just KNOW there's some Customs people smokin' it up before the... the.... God, I can't even say it !! :faint:


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## c.ortiz108 (Nov 16, 2013)

A green customs label with contents listed as "cigars" on a package originating in  (as seen in that video) would be a pretty strong indicator, no?


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

Well, this kind of took a turn to how does Customs know it's a CC. But, I was also wondering how they know it's a CC, especiallly with more and more brands using terms like Habano and Cuba on their NC sticks. I know, we don't typically order NCs from another country, but maybe it happens once in a while.

Does Customs know to let these through:




And not these ones:


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## MDSPHOTO (Sep 10, 2013)

c.ortiz108 said:


> A green customs label with contents listed as "cigars" on a package originating in (as seen in that video) would be a pretty strong indicator, no?


Yes, that was quite amusing.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

asmartbull said:


> A lot has to do with the port of entry and where you are coming from......
> I am sure the agents near Mexico are more alert than the ones in VT.
> 
> As far as the other ways they get in.....probably better left unsaid.
> ...


THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## woodted (Jan 3, 2009)

I can tell you that the border patrol coming into Minnesota don't know shit! They went through every cigar in my humidor and looked up every one on Google to make sure they weren't CCs. I had a house brand from a shop in Milwaukee that they looked up the shop to check it! Wasted 45 minutes of my time! That was after calling me a liar when I told them I didn't have any Cubans.


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## GoJohnnyGo (Nov 19, 2011)

woodted said:


> I can tell you that the border patrol coming into Minnesota don't know shit! They went through every cigar in my humidor and looked up every one on Google to make sure they weren't CCs. I had a house brand from a shop in Milwaukee that they looked up the shop to check it! Wasted 45 minutes of my time! That was after calling me a liar when I told them I didn't have any Cubans.


You mean Customs?


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## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

woodted said:


> I can tell you that the border patrol coming into Minnesota don't know shit! They went through every cigar in my humidor and looked up every one on Google to make sure they weren't CCs. I had a house brand from a shop in Milwaukee that they looked up the shop to check it! Wasted 45 minutes of my time! That was after calling me a liar when I told them I didn't have any Cubans.


When crossing its all about whoever is doing the crossing and their attitude. I waltzed right though JFK customs some years ago returning from Russia where a nice Box of Cohibas in the bottom of a rolling tool case. I was still ignorant to the repercussions of such an idiot move and had I known I would have never made it because Im not very good at secrecy and the body language will do all the talking after the paranoia sets in. Whats really messed up is that was right after 9/11, Dec 24th 2001, I had to watch that mess unfold on BBC.


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

woodted said:


> I can tell you that the border patrol coming into Minnesota don't know shit! They went through every cigar in my humidor and looked up every one on Google to make sure they weren't CCs. I had a house brand from a shop in Milwaukee that they looked up the shop to check it! Wasted 45 minutes of my time! That was after calling me a liar when I told them I didn't have any Cubans.


So this is how they know! God bless Google.


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## Joe Bonzo (Dec 20, 2013)

My guess is they just decide if it's something they want to smoke or not.


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Laynard said:


> Well, this kind of took a turn to how does Customs know it's a CC. But, I was also wondering how they know it's a CC, especiallly with more and more brands using terms like Habano and Cuba on their NC sticks. I know, we don't typically order NCs from another country, but maybe it happens once in a while.
> 
> Does Customs know to let these through:
> 
> ...


Yes, they would know to let them through as they would have an import permit with them.


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